Mariners promote Allison to oversee all scouting operations

The tumblers on the Mariners’ new front office continue to fall into place with Tom Allison getting a promotion to oversee all of the organization’s scouting operations.

Allison, 48, spent the last three years as director of professional scouting but will now, in a revamped structure under new general manager Jerry Dipoto, also direct the club’s efforts in amateur and international scouting.

The Mariners also promoted pro scout Lee MacPhail IV to fill Allison’s former role as director of pro scouting.

MacPhail will report to Allison under the new alignment as will amateur scouting director Tom McNamara and director of international operations Tim Kissner.

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Club officials have not yet confirmed those changes, but they did confirm the hiring of Andy McKay to replace Chris Gwynn as their director of player development.

McKay spent the last three years as Colorado’s peak performance coordinator — mental-skills coach — after a 14-year run as the coach at Sacramento City College.

Allison has more than 20 years of scouting experience, including a four-year run from 2007-10 as Arizona’s scouting director. Dipoto worked for the Diamondbacks in various roles from 2006-11.

MANAGERIAL RUMBLINGS

Angels assistant general manager Scott Servais is "gaining traction" according to one source in Dipoto’s search to find a replacement for fired manager Lloyd McClendon.

Industry insiders continue to view Tim Bogar, who also works in the Angels’ front office, as the leading candidate to become the Mariners’ next manager.

Dipoto hired Bogar and Servais while serving as the Angels’ general manager prior to his July 1 resignation. Bogar currently works as a special assistant to the general manager.

Servais had been seen as a strong candidate to run the Mariners’ scouting or player-development departments. But he has shown a desire to become a manager and was recently linked to San Diego’s opening.

If not hired as manager, Servais could still join the organization as a special assistant. He served as the farm director at Texas after an 11-year career as a big-league catcher from 1991-2001.

Servais was a candidate to replace Dipoto as the Angels’ general manager before they hired Billy Eppler, who had been an assistant general manager with the New York Yankees.

One source said Dipoto is interviewing five managerial candidates. If so, Bogar and Servais would seem to complete the list because multiple reports say Dipoto has already talked to:

▪ Phil Nevin, who has spent the last two years as the manager at Triple-A Reno in the Arizona system. Nevin played 12 years in the big leagues from 1995-2006 as a third baseman, first baseman, outfielder and catcher.

▪ Charlie Montoyo, who served last season as Tampa Bay’s third-base coach after leading Triple-A Durham to six division titles over the previous eight years in the Rays’ system.

▪ Jason Varitek, a special assistant to the general manager in Boston after a 15-year playing career as the Red Sox’s catcher..

INTEREST IN STOTTLEMYRE

Arizona bullpen coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr., a former pitcher, could be joining the Mariners’ coaching staff, according to the Arizona Republic.